


Fragments of the Past

by ArcMages



Category: Free!
Genre: Hiyori will get in the way as usual but don't worry he's not an antagonist, Ikuya is a precious bean, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, This ship isn't popular but I LOVE IT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-10-31 23:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17858666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcMages/pseuds/ArcMages
Summary: With Ikuya back in Japan, Haru is desperate to make amends.To fix the past, to join the same future.





	1. Memory

The water is always welcoming. The moment one enters it, they are enveloped in a cold hug and pulled in. And if the hug lasts a little too long, it becomes dangerous. That’s why Ikuya loves the water. It’s something he gets to fight while it embraces him.

Standing at the edge of the pool, Ikuya looked out onto the grand pool which awaited his arrival. He watched the other swimmers in their separate lanes reaching out of the water, then back in, the water splashing behind them as they pulled through. It had been a while since he had swam in Japan. He had just returned from America about a month ago to attend college in Tokyo. It felt nostalgic to be back, except he didn’t often visit Tokyo when he was younger. It was more refreshing to hear a familiar language which he actually understood all around him. And it was rather strange too, he had become so accustomed to hearing english from every corner.

But surprisingly, the pool was quite large. Possibly because this was the property of the college he attended where the team would participate for the goal of reaching worldwide championships instead of just competing for fun as a child. How overwhelming.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he was ready to complete against the rest of the world and aim for the top. It seemed like a heavy burden. If it weren’t lucky enough that he had managed to settle in Tokyo, prepare for college, try out for the swim team... And fortunately make it.

But he hadn’t done it all alone. He wouldn’t have been able to without his best friend Hiyori who always seemed to be by his side for everything. They moved into the same apartment together and Hiyori seemed to be take up practically every single responsibility. It even startled him at times, the moments Hiyori would invade his privacy at the wrong time. But perhaps that’s what made them close.

He then thought of his friends in middle school before he had left to study in America. He wondered how they were doing, if they were still all together. If they were still into swimming. He wondered if he’d ever run into them at some point and make amends. What kind of people were they now..? These thoughts had itched at him ever since arriving back in Japan.

Suddenly, a pat on his bare back startled him, knocking him out from his thoughts. He whipped his head to the side to see his best friend, Hiyori standing beside him, giving him a generous smile. The brown-haired male had his glasses off and goggles resting on his head, which meant he was prepared for practice. And he too, had made it on the swim team.

“You’ve been standing here for a hot minute,” Hiyori said, “Are you okay?"

“Oh.” Ikuya responded. He wasn’t particularly the best at conversing with others, especially when caught off guard. “Right, sorry.” And without awaiting a response from his friend, he dove into the pool, feeling the splash of the water hit and suck him in. 

He stretched his arms out and pulled them back in, pushing through the water. As he eased through the warm-up, he was reminded of the times when he swam with his friends in middle school. He could almost near them cheering him on like they had back in the past. Their names sounded in his head. 

Makoto. Rin. Asahi. Haru.

And without warning, he felt a pain slash through his chest. He missed them. He wondered if they thought of him too. The water grew heavier, it became more and more of a burden upon his body. It seemed to pull him down and down, winning.

But it wasn’t the pain of missing his childhood that had brought the chains upon his limbs, he had also begun to lose air. His throat squeezed itself. His lips parted in hopes of catching a breath but nothing came in nor out. He felt trapped as he sunk down through the water.

His eyes gazed up at the bright lights which beamed down from the ceiling and reflected off the water. And in the midst of it, a dark figure came in close. Though his sight became blurry and his consciousness started to fade, he made out a blend of dark blue.

Haru..?

His eyes shutted as the black particles made their way to consume his field of vision. And before losing conscience, he felt a pressure wrap around his wrist and began to pull the rest of his body up along with it.

* * *

 

Ikuya’s eyes opened slowly, blinking first to adjust to the darkness which surrounded him. He felt a cushion behind him. And telling by the sheet which covered his body, he was on a bed. And soon enough after that, he came to realize he was in hospital room and in a gown. Beside the bed was a window which leaked in the hazy moonlight. And to the left… He recognized Hiyori who had his glasses and casual wear back on. 

Hiyori let out a small gasp as they made eye contact. “Ikuya!”

“... Did I…” Ikuya breathed. He couldn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t want to.

“You went unconscious in the water,” Hiyori filled him in, “I jumped in and pulled you out… Are you okay? How do you feel?”

Ikuya let a sigh escape from his lips. He put his arm up to his forehead in disappointment. “You’re kidding me.”

“Ikuya, it’s fine. You were probably just tired from the tediousness of this month.” Hiyori reassured. 

“Hiyori.” Ikuya said. “I’m sorry, do you mind to leave for a moment? I need some time alone.” He felt bad for asking such a favor especially since his friend was here for him. But he couldn’t help it. 

Hiyori paused for a moment but eventually obliged. “Okay. If you ever need me, I’ll be near.” He then left the room and shut the door with a click.

Ikuya rolled over onto his side and starred out the window. He gazed at the sea of lights from the abundance of buildings and wandered into his own thoughts.

The last thing he recalled was seeing Haru come down and reach out for him in the water. But that hadn’t really happened. It was Hiyori, as always. His invading thoughts of his past friends had gotten to the best of him and tricked his eyes. They were too much of an interference in his head. And yet, they still distracted him from focusing on what really mattered. They probably didn’t even know he was here in Japan, breathing in the same air. 

And it hurt. It hurt to think of that night at the swim club camp when he had sat out with Haru to watch the meteor shower. He remembered the promise they had made together. As his eyes closed once again into a doze, he found himself reliving it.

And not far from where he was, perhaps a few streets down, a certain someone was reliving the same moment back in the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Ikuya x Haru... Haruya?  
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoy and let's live this ship together!


	2. Thinking

"Good morning!"

Kisumi's oddly warming voice filled the café, sailing over the voices of the other customers.

"Late as always," Asahi greeted him with some sort of half-smirk on his face. He had his chin rested upon his hand which was supported by his elbow on the polished, wooden table. Across from him, Makoto and Haru sat next to each other. They both greeted with a 'good morning' except their tones fit naturally to their clashing personas.

Kisumi pulled out the seat next to Asahi which was on the outer part of the table. "Sorry, sorry," He said in a sing-song voice, "Basketball really takes up a lot of my time!" The pink-haired male, unlike the rest of the group, did not have a talent for swimming. He invested his time in a different variety of sports and clubs which lead to him to gain popularity among both girls and boys of different universities. His charming personality and friendly smile only enhanced his reputation. He had a numerous amount of friends because of this. It was often the reason he arrived late to practically every date, or didn't show up at all. But regardless, his importance and friendship to the group did not dim.

"It's fine," Makoto said with a smile. He pushed a cup of coffee across the table towards Kisumi. "Have this, it's still warm." Makoto was perhaps the most laid-back and least judgmental of the group. He always saw the brighter side of situations and it sometimes made him a little more gullible.

"Ah! Thank you." Kisumi happily took it. He took a sip, holding up the cup with both hands. "So, what are we here to talk about?"

"If you arrived any later, we all probably would've forgotten." Asahi chuckled.

Haru's gaze stared down at his own unfinished cup of coffee. This time, it was made a little more bitter than usual and that threw him off, not to be picky. He just liked his coffee in a certain, creamy way. "Kisumi." He said. "I'm going to be blunt."

"That sounds... Cryptic." Makoto let out a nervous laugh.

"Doesn't it?" Kisumi agreed.

"But seriously, you're not gonna believe it!" Asahi said.

Haru took another look at his coffee, wondering if he should finish or leave it. He didn't mean to build suspense but even himself, he couldn't believe what he was about to say next. When he had gotten news of it through the universities swim teams list, he had almost let the paper fly away in his own shock. "Ikuya. He's back in Japan."

There was a moment of silence as Kisumi's jaw dropped down to the table with a bonk. He almost jumped up from his seat as he slammed his arms onto the table and brought himself closer to Haru. "No way!" You're kidding me!" In which Makoto responded immediately with a "calm down!"

"I didn't believe it at first either." Asahi grinned. He leaned back in his chair, clearly amused with his friend's reaction.

Haru slid the swim teams list on the table. His finger tapped onto the university in which their long lost friend's name was listed under. 

"Kirishima... Ikuya." Kisumi read slowly as if he were deciphering a code. He squinted his eyes. "It's true!"

"Of course it's true, did you seriously think we were bluffing?" Asahi said with his arms crossed.

"Eh?! No, I would never!" Kisumi defended himself. 

Asahi let out a laugh and continued to poke fun at his friend who flustered in embarrassment at the remarks. Makoto waved his hands in front of him and tried to calm the two down since they were in a public café as college students causing a ruckus.

Haru stared down at the paper, down at Ikuya's name. He felt a slight squeeze in chest. He knew deep down, he missed his friend from middle school, but seeing the name also brought upon memories. Memories of the days they got along. Memories of the times they swam together and cheered each other on. And the specific memory of a promise he had made to Ikuya one night. And dreaded most, memories of when he couldn't fulfill that promise. He wondered if Ikuya still remembered it. Probably not.

"Haru? Harruu!" Makoto called to him, interrupting his thoughts.

Haru looked up at his friends who were all looking right back at him in confusion. "Sorry."

"Does it really bother you that much?" Asahi joked.

Kisumi nudged the red-haired male. "Ohh! Maybe Haru has a crush!"

"It's nothing like that." Haru said. He let out a sigh. "It's just been a while. I'm not sure if we're all the same anymore."

"That's true..." Makoto agreed. "But at least, we've all changed so surely he'll notice things about us and us to him, right? I'm sure he's interested in seeing us too!"

"I hope so." Haru replied.

"I wonder if he's improved at swimming!" Asahi remarked. "If he did, I'd love to put him to the test! I wonder what he's got to say about America too."

"Y'know..." Kisumi started, putting a finger to his bottom lip, "Ikuya's voice has always been low, huh? I wonder if it's gotten even deeper-"

Asahi jabbed him in the side, "Stop being weird, will you?!"

Kisumi let out a laugh and once again, the two were back at it with their quarrels.

This time, Makoto giggled lightly at them. There was no point in stopping them. Bickering friendlily like two puppies was just how their relationship was.

Haru couldn't help but to grin slightly at Asahi and Kisumi. They seemed awfully excited to meet Ikuya. It somewhat motivated him to search for Ikuya more, though that seemed like a difficult process since Tokyo was large and his university held a quite the amount of students. He figured checking the pool of the university would be a place to start. However, the chances of finding one person in the whole of a university was almost equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack.

"Let's find him, together." Haru proposed.

And whenever Haru spoke, everyone listened despite his quiet voice.

"Hell yeah!" Asahi agreed. 

And with that, they all smiled at each other, chugged down their coffee, and grabbed their bags to head out. And boy, were they pumped to see their long lost friend. But, little did they know, there would be more hardships and bumps along the road to reunion than they'd expect.

For Ikuya did not come alone to Japan.

 

Ikuya's fingers brushed along the spine of the book he had brought back from America. It was his favorite story, he had happened to find it in a bookstore during his stay. While it was in english, he had learned to interpret it over time and even eventually, could understand it word for word. He slipped the pages apart to a random page. 

"She turned into sea foam..." He read, looking at the beautifully illustrated page of bubbles.

How sad. If only the mermaid could swim her way from misery.

But some of the saddest stories, have the most beautiful meanings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was easy and fun to write. I love the differences in their personalities, it makes them all stand out!


	3. Moment

His brown eyes stared at the clear, rippling water as it distorted the blue tiles buried beneath it. As always, it silently called out to him, welcoming him to jump in and submerge himself, to push through and fight for a breath of air.

Ikuya felt embarrassed. Last time he stood at the pool of his university, he had lost his breath and sank downwards, letting the water take control. Hiyori had jumped in and pulled him out, saving his life. It was quite the performance for a first practice session since being accepted onto the team.

It would be best not to repeat that. In fact, such incidents didn't happen often. Only... Only a few times during his whole swimming career. That was bad, wasn't it. He knew his physical state wasn't in prime condition to swim, especially competitively. But it wasn't going to prevent him from doing it. After all, he loved to swim. And he had to prove himself to someone whom he might not even meet...

Ikuya shook the idea of out his head. No. He would not dwell up in such thoughts. He didn't want to think of reasons as to why he continued swimming or the idea that he might not be well physically for it. The only thing focus on right now, was swimming itself. 

He watched as his brown-haired friend stood up in the pool and pulled up his goggles after taking a round. They met eyes. 

"Gonna get into the pool?" Hiyori asked with a gentle smile. 

Ikuya didn't respond. He simply dove in and went on his way.

 

"Good session," the coach called to the team as they pulled themselves out of the water, preparing to pack-up for the day by grabbing their bags and water bottles which were rested on the bleachers off to the side. He approached Ikuya before he could enter into the locker room. "You seem to have recovered fast and back in perfect shape. I was watching."

Hiyori stopped when Ikuya did. The duo never seemed to do anything without each other.

"It was just a slip-up last time. It won't happen again," Ikuya said to the coach. It wasn't for reassurance though. It was the truth. Or at least, a truth to be fulfilled.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just worried for the health of my team. Make sure you get enough rest and don't push yourself too hard," the coach responded.

"He won't. I'll make sure of it," Hiyori butted in. He often spoke for Ikuya as if he didn't have the confidence that his friend could speak for himself. But Ikuya didn't mind so much since he wasn't a fan of small talk. Honestly, he didn't mind much of anything at all. And with that, they entered into the locker room.

After setting his bag onto the bench outside of the stall, Ikuya turned onto the shower, washing the chlorine off. He let the drops of water hit his face and run through his hair. He then dried himself off after turning the knob to the off setting and grabbed his clothes one by one which hung from the top of the door. Every single move he did, he lived through it thoroughly, taking his time. His ears blocked out the sound of his teammates chatting in the background and leaving. 

"Ikuya!" Hiyori called from outside the stall.

Ikuya turned to meet his gaze with Hiyori's over the barrier. He threw on his long-sleeved shirt, reminded that there was no need to keep his friend waiting. 

 

Hiyori had his hands in his coat pockets, he faced Ikuya as they walked down the sidewalk in the afternoon autumn scenery of yellowing leaves and business people sparsely making their way home. The two were on their way to their shared apartment. "You did well today," he complimented.

Ikuya had half of his face buried in the scarf which wrapped around his neck, protecting his nose from the wind. "I guess," he responded. Truthfully, he didn't often thinking swimming sessions were successful. They generally stood to him when they were a disaster. Because of this, he remembered every session in which he drowned.

"Is that just going to be your response each time?" Hiyori asked, "You need more confidence."

"Are you going to tell me that I did well after each swim practice?"

"That's because you always do!"

"Then I will respond with 'I guess' each time." Ikuya said bluntly. His eyes were focused on the ground, watching where he was stepping. 

Hiyori let out a laugh after that. "Typical Ikuya," he commented.

They then made their way to a mini bridge which crossed above a river. From here, they would be able to take the one-sided path which lead them directly to the apartment building located near a few restaurants. 

"What do you want for dinner today?" Hiyori asked. "We could grab a pack of udon when we pass by the supermarket." Such a mom, he was. 

"Sure, I don't mind." Ikuya said. He then lifted his gaze up upon taking the short flight of steps which lead to the bridge. It was then he noticed someone standing on the bridge. Short, dark blue hair slightly blew in the wind along with the man's jacket. He seemed to be contemplating to himself, looking out into the stream.

It was when Ikuya brought himself closer to the man as he walked across the bridge, did he notice the familiarity. He felt his heart come to a stop when the male turned his head and they made eye contact. Deep blue eyes. One's that you could get lost in and feel as if you're drowning in a vast, empty ocean with only the company of bubbles.  A flash of his best middle school friend came to his mind for a brief second. He then realized who this man was.

"Haru..?" Ikuya whispered to himself. It was so quiet not even Hiyori noticed. And Hiyori noticed everything. He stopped in his tracks.

Haru turned his body, with the way his eyes were widened, he seemed to be also be in a state of surprise. "Ikuya?" He let out.

Hiyori raised a brow. "What's this?" He asked, also stopping to keep himself by Ikuya's side.

The memories suddenly became more clear. Ikuya relived them all at once, they swirled around in his head. Had it been fate that he had come in the presence of the one who had been haunting his thoughts for the past month? Even after all the rehearsals he had preformed and scripted-out in his mind of him reuniting with his past friends, he felt speechless. He didn't know what to say. 

Hiyori could feel the tenseness emitting from his friend. Defensively, he stepped forward. "I'm not sure who you are, but could you not stare at Ikuya in such a way?" He then patted Ikuya's back, "Let's move on, shall we?"

Ikuya, unsure of what to do, just nodded without another thought and they stepped past Haru. He saw Haru's eyes. Back then, they were hard to read. Haru had been the type to suppress his emotions. And it seems now, he still lacked the ability to convey what was really on his mind through his facial features. Whether Haru was shocked in his own misfortune or luck to see his past friend again, Ikuya couldn't tell.

And with that, the moment ended. Hiyori and Ikuya reached the other side of the bridge where they stepped down and continued on their way to the main street to meet the busy crowd of cars and buses. It was only another couple of blocks before they would reach the supermarket.

Ikuya knew Hiyori was itching to ask who Haru was, but to his relief, Hiyori stayed silent of it throughout the rest of the walk home. He acted as if nothing had happened, asking which brand package was better and if Ikuya wanted any toppings like tempura or green onion.

With the bag in hand, Hiyori unlocked the door of the apartment and they headed inside. Ikuya set his bag onto his bed where he lied down and stared up at the empty ceiling with an arm overlapping his eyes. Hiyori was the one who knew how to cook, so likely, Ikuya would just have to wait unless if he wanted to cramp the small kitchen. And he had a feeling, that at dinner, Hiyori would ask about Haru. And Ikuya felt he needed time to prepare an answer.

Ikuya closed his eyes and drifted off for a moment into his own thoughts. He replayed that moment over and over again, wondering what would have happened if he had been friendly with Haru instead of just leaving him behind. He wondered what Haru was thinking. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, he could hear it in the silence of the bedroom. 

He felt an urge to turn back time and relive that moment, to redo it. He hoped that this wouldn't be the last time he saw Haru. He hoped that Haru also wanted to meet again and reunite properly. And maybe there would be another chance, where Ikuya would be prepared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i made a twitter where ill post updates for stories and just be myself, follow me if you feel and we could talk or something! : @newtexe


	4. Wonder

Haru sat with his legs crossed on the bed. He leaned back onto the bare wall of his lone apartment as he listened to his friends conversing from the phone at his ear. Through the sound of Kisumi and Asahi jabbering back and forth, he could make out Makoto making coffee in the back. He figured Makoto was going to pull a late night, as he frequently did to catch up on work.

Haru wasn't the type to rely on the use of a phone for communication. Often, he forgot to check his texts. And when he didn't, he typically replied hours late. Even though he already wasn't much of a talker, his participation in conversation over the phone was even more sparse. But, at least he was an excellent listener. 

"Nope. Didn't see him. Waited for a whole hour too," Kisumi said with a huff. He was referring to Ikuya. After the meeting in the café, they had decided to split up in different paths from Shimogami University. Now back in their homes, Makoto had started a group call where they could trade any findings. More like, sightings. 

Haru felt this whole thing was becoming some sort of spy mission children would do when someone new moved into town. So far, he hadn't spoken yet. He wondered if he should prepare dinner for himself.

"You'd wait a hour for Ikuya but not for me?!" Asahi's voice blasted into the earphones. Haru winced a bit. He pulled the phone from his ear and put it onto speaker mode instead. How typical of Asahi to shout at his friends for the silliest of things. Most of it would be a joke.

"Huh?! Since when would I have to wait an hour for you?" Kisumi asked back.

"Remember that one time I was late to our-"

"Asahi!" Kisumi warned him.

Asahi cursed lightly. He clearly had forgotten he was on a group call that included Haru and Makoto. Kisumi let out a slight giggle. Whatever was going on between them, Haru had no opinion on it. He wasn't even sure what to think of it, that the two might be secretly onto something together. But he didn't like to intrude on the business of his friends. He trusted that one day, they would break the news. Maybe the only exception to this intrusion rule would be Ikuya.

"What was that?" Makoto asked. The coffee machine in the back came to stop.

"Nothing!" Kisumi replied. "So how about you guys? Seen Ikuya?" He switched the topic back to the main one beforehand.

"I haven't..." Makoto answered disappointedly. Haru could tell his friend shook his head as he said that.

"I saw him," Haru said blatantly. He only spoke when the silence kicked in. He didn't have a thing for interrupting others nor others interrupting him.

"EH?!" The other three reacted in sync. The sound of a phone dropping clunked on a wooden floor. He figured it must've been Asahi's since the male was notorious for his overreactions.

"What was he like?" "What does he look like now?" "Did you say anything to him?" "What happened?" 

Haru let out a sigh. Too many questions. "Nothing happened," he said. Literally, no progression in truth. What happened affected him as much as if he hadn't even seen Ikuya. "He was with another guy, walking home I guess."

"What did this other guy look like? It's nice to know that Ikuya has a friend already," Makoto said.

"Tall, brown hair, and glasses," Haru replied. Though he knew this wouldn't do any of them any good. "He seemed... Protective."

"Protective?" Asahi asked. "What what way?"

Haru swore he could see Asahi's suspicious facial expression through the phone as he asked. "When Ikuya saw me, the guy stood in front of him and confronted me as if I were in his way. He then urged Ikuya to move on. I get the feeling he doesn't like me already."

"And how did Ikuya react when he saw you?" Makoto asked.

"He looked surprised. But he moved on with the other guy without saying anything."

"How friendly," Kisumi commented. "That's not that what I would expect of a long lost friend. Did you two end off on a bad note?"

Haru didn't know how to respond to that. In fact, they had ended their friendship when he had left the swim club. But that shouldn't mean Ikuya would hold a grudge for so long. Unless if he did. That would be ridiculous. "No," Haru replied.

For the rest of the phone call, they agreed that they would meet at the front of Shimogami University tomorrow at the time when swim practice should end. Just a little before that to make sure they would be on time. This excluded Kisumi, who had a basketball team meet until late.

Haru pressed the red button on the phone screen, ending the call session for him. He checked the time. 9PM. Well, he had accidentally skipped dinner. But it matter, he wasn't that hungry to start with. But there was something he couldn't skip out of his daily routine.

Haru collected loose clothes from his drawer and then made his way to the bathroom. He turned the knob of the tub up to a moderately hot temperature and let the water collect up. Whilst doing this, he wondered how Ikuya would react with the old swim team back together. Young Ikuya would be pleased. He would welcome everyone with warm arms. But the new Ikuya... He seemed more cold.

* * *

Asahi waved his hands in the air as Haru approached him and Makoto sitting on a bench on the front side of the Shimogami University campus. He sat down next to them under the shaded tree. Asahi had his messenger bag sitting on his lap. Makoto seemed to be fidgeting with his fingers nervously. 

"Okay, if Ikuya attended swim meet today, he should be dismissed to head home in about 5 minutes. This is our chance! When he see him, wave and call out friendlily," Makoto said to the two. He hit his fist into his palm as if signing to himself that he was prepared.

Haru wasn't sure for what reason Makoto had to be nervous. Asahi clutched his fists together and pumped his arm. "Nah! I'm going to just confront him!"

"Hey... You know Ikuya doesn't like to be surprised like that," Makoto sighed.

"Well he better have manned up! I swear to god if he gets scared like he would in-"

"You're talking about Ikuya?" A soothing male voice interrupted them.

They looked up to see the male Haru had described. Tall, brown hair, and glasses. He had a rather large build for someone who looked like he studied hard in school rather than swim. He had a hand on the strap of his messenger bag and stood before them at a comfortable distance. He had a friendly smile on his face, giving off the impression that he meant no harm.

"You know him?" Asahi asked. He stood up.

"Yes, I do. I'm his best friend. Toono, Hiyori. Now who must you be?"

"We're his friends from middle school," Makoto replied. He kept his consistent calm tone. "By any chance, do you know where he is right now? Or if he's available?"

Hiyori's eyes shifted over to Haru who shot back a look of uncertainty. There was something about this male. The way he introduced himself so proudly to be Ikuya's "best friend" had only further confirmed Haru's description of him to be "protective."

"Unfortunately," Hiyori replied. "Ikuya didn't come to practice today. He's caught up in work. You might have to try another day." He had a grin on his face.

"Is that so," Makoto replied. He sounded disappointed. "I see. Well, thank you for your help, Hiyori."

"Anytime," Hiyori said. He waved briefly before saying, "Good-bye." And with that, he turned around and headed towards the main building of the university. 

"That was weird," Asahi said gruffly. He had his arms crossed. "I don't like this Hiyori guy. There's something about him that's makes me want to be wary of him."

Haru kept his neutral facial expression. He stood up and headed off to the exit of the campus. Looks like today's plan didn't work.

Makoto caught up with Haru. He joined him by his side. "Hiyori does seem a little protective, doesn't he? They must be close friends." Asahi wasn't with him, he had likely gone the opposite direction to Kisumi's practice.

"Maybe," Haru replied. He kept his eyes to the floor, watching the fallen autumn leaves as they passed. A thought came to him. That Hiyori might've approached to confront them when he saw him as the one from the bridge yesterday. He couldn't help but to think that Hiyori was trying to keep Ikuya away from them. But what would have caused that? Had Ikuya said something to him?

Was it perhaps that Ikuya didn't want to meet up with them...

Haru shook the ideas out of his head. There was no need to dwell on such thoughts. Ikuya was busy with work, as Hiyori had said. And that was it.


	5. Distract

Ikuya stirred the hot chocolate with the mini spoon as he sat on the booth in the café.  With his head resting on his fist, he watched the white foam and brown cocoa mix together, spinning then blending in to one another. Across from him, an iced tea of an orange color sat before an empty seat. He wondered why Hiyori had told him to wait at this café. His friend had said it was just to fetch some homework he'd forgotten but Ikuya knew that wasn't true. Hiyori would never forget his work, not once had he ever done something irresponsible as far as he knew.

The bell at the front of the café dinged. Hiyori walked in. His eyes traveled around until they settled on his lone friend. He joined Ikuya, setting his bag onto the back of his seat. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he greeted. He rose a brow upon noticing the orange drink. "You got me tea?"

"I did," Ikuya said. He took a sip of his own hot chocolate, the first one since receiving it a few minutes ago.

Hiyori smiled at his friend. "Thank you." He then took a sip from the straw and let out a gasp which seemed a little too excited for Ikuya's taste. "Orange! You know that's my favorite, huh?"

"You always get orange," Ikuya replied. Just one of those things friends notice about each other, nothing special.

Hiyori let out a slight laugh. "Do I now."

It seemed that everything Ikuya did was special to Hiyori. He had gotten used it after the past few years of them being best friends. He figured it was just a personality thing Hiyori had. To find the treasure in everything. Even at the bottom of the sea.

After a moment of silence, Hiyori asked Ikuya something that seemed to have come completely out of the blue. It surprised him.

"So, what were your childhood friends like?"

Ikuya rose a brow. But he maintained his composure of acting like nothing mattered. Such a habit to have. "We were all in the swim club together in middle school," he replied. Then added, "why?" He had decided to leave out the details of how they really were to each other. Especially Haru.

Hiyori shrugged. "I guess since you're back in Japan, you must be wondering if they're here in Tokyo too."

Fair enough. Hiyori got him. But he once again, replied vaguely. "I don't care about them anymore."

"You don't want to meet with your friends?" Was that a spark of hope in Hiyori's voice? He must've imagined it.

"I'd rather not dwell on that. Once you start college, it's a new life."

"That's a way to think of it," Hiyori grinned. "Plus, you have me."

Ikuya nodded at the remark and took another sip from his hot chocolate. The temperature had lowered after waiting ten minutes. Hiyori must've been the only person he had back here in Tokyo. He had no other friends yet, and his brother was off in Australia.

"Oh!" Hiyori grabbed the dessert menu from the side of the table. "Wanna try some cake? This strawberry shortcake looks delicious! Too bad they don't have pistachio cream, your favorite."

Ikuya cocked his head a bit. Hiyori was acting strange. Well, this was his typical self which he always acted excited about everything. But bringing up middle school all of a sudden... A thought came to Ikuya. 

Did Hiyori know about Haru and the others?

There was no way. Ikuya had never mentioned them to him, not even last night. But still, he couldn't help but to wonder. Pushing away the thought, he shrugged. "Sure."

When the shortcake arrived to the table, Ikuya didn't deny Hiyori was right. The cake did look delicious. The white cream on the top and in the middle layer had a light tinge of yellow. The strawberries were frozen and a bright red. They were perfectly shaped and placed. Even the mini cake itself was neatly accompanied on top of a fabric mat. But there was only one.

"I'll ask for a knife," he said as he started to turn his head in search for a waitress.

But Hiyori stopped him. "No, there's no need for the trouble. Let's just both dig in and enjoy the cake." He smiled.

Ikuya's eyes went from his spoon to the cake in the middle of the table. They then met up with Hiyori's welcoming ones. Well, no harm. He took a scoop off from the edge and licked it off of the spoon.

"Oh, it's delicious," he commented. The sweet flavor had a perfect zest of lemon to it. He then proceeded to take more bites.

Hiyori giggled after he took a scoop of his own. "Isn't it?"

 

The two had arrived back to the apartment by the time the sky shifted into a deep blue. They had spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying a dinner together and hitting the arcade. It'd been many years since Ikuya had step foot into an arcade. It felt nostalgic, to see the collection of UFO machines and the dark room of flashing games. And not to his surprise, he had significantly gotten worse at them.

Hiyori laid back on the couch in the middle of the apartment. He let out a sigh. "Today has been a good day, right Ikuya?"

Ikuya gave him a nod and placed his bag on the coffee table. "Yeah, it was." Being with Hiyori for the past few hours had taken his mind off of his middle school friends for a while. He was appreciative of that. In about a week, they would be starting the first season of college. They wouldn't have so much time to enjoy their days with the expected workload. 

A smile grew on Hiyori's lips. He closed his eyes and got into a resting position, lying down on his side and placing his head on his hands.

Ikuya made his way to his room and got a fresh set of pajamas from the dresser. He then entered into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it. As the water ran across his bare body, he thought of the time he had first met Hiyori. They had attended the same swim team back in America. Hiyori back then was rather shy. It'd been Ikuya who reached his hand out to him first from the neighboring lane.

That was a moment in his childhood he didn't regret. Hiyori had changed his life since then. They had each other forever. They saved each other in times of loss and cared for each other unconditionally. It felt immoral to have Haru's presence invade his mind once they had arrived back in Japan.

With the towel around his neck, soaking up the extra wetness in his hair, he stepped out to the living room, his loose clothes brushing against his skin. "Hiyori, the bathroom's free for you to use."

Hiyori didn't reply. He was asleep on the couch. Ikuya smiled to himself slightly. Looks like their afternoon had worn his friend out.

In a sudden flash, he saw young Haru sleeping on the couch. Then it went back to Hiyori after he blinked. Ikuya took a step back. "What was that..." he muttered, his eyes widened.

A memory had come back to him.

* * *

  _Ikuya focused on the math problem on the sheet in front of him. He was laying down on his stomach, his chest supported up by his elbows. He squinted his eyes, as if looking closer might make the series of numbers more solvable. But it didn't work._

_"Ne, Haru, do you know how to-"_

_As Ikuya's eyes traveled to his friend, he noticed Haru's eyes were shut. The deep blue-haired male's face was buried underneath his arms and cushioned on the sheets. He was asleep._

_Ikuya crawled up onto his knees. Seeing from the window, he realized that it was almost night. The afternoon sun had not completely buried itself yet but it was on the brink of doing so. Ikuya wondered if he should go back home or not. He didn't want to leave Haru. But technically, Haru had left him, mentally, to go off to dream land. And they still hadn't finished their homework._

_Ikuya set his eyes on his sleeping friend. Haru's lips were parted slightly. As he lightly breathed in and out, his body rose up and down peacefully._

'Cute,' _was the word that came to his mind right then._

'Wait- what?!'

 _Ikuya covered his own face as he internally freaked out._ 'There's no way I could think such a thing about Haru!' _he told himself,_ 'He's my friend!'

_Maybe it was best if he left the house. His mother knew he was over at Haru's but he hadn't specified how long he would be staying. He considered heading home now. Being drained of energy gave him weird thoughts._

_Ikuya gave his friend one last look. In that second, he caught himself focusing on Haru's lips. He thought about the fairy tale movies he had seen where a kiss from the prince would wake the princess up. What if it actually worked?_

Bonk!

_Ikuya's forehead rang with pain as it flooded through his head. His face felt hot._

'Stop being such an idiot.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting after this chapter, things will start to get dramatic... Romantically. Hint. There will be one-sided lovers going on. Thank you for making it this far! 
> 
> BTW i made up that Hiyori likes orange flavor... Not sure if he really does. But it's confirmed that Ikuya does like pistachio cream.


	6. Enchant

_Haru woke up, letting out a slight yawn. He blinked, adjusting to the light in his room. He hadn't meant to have fallen asleep, nor had he realized he would do such a thing. And right before him, Ikuya's had his head to the ground._

_"Ikuya?" he asked._

_His friend shot straight up from his position. His face was completely red. "H—Haru!"_

_Haru pulled himself up into a sitting position. Through the corner of his eye, he could see that night had pulled in across the sky. He cocked his head slightly, "What are you doing? Are you sick?"_

_Ikuya rubbed his own cheek, feeling how hot it was, likely. His eyes widened as he scooted himself backwards and put a hand to the back of his head. He let out a nervous laughter. "Sick? No, I'm just... praying! Yeah! I was praying!"_

_Haru wasn't convinced. But his friends had a knack for being silly people so he let it slide. "It's late," he said. "Are you gonna go home or stay here?"_

_Ikuya hesitated before answering, "I guess I'm staying here tonight if you don't mind. It's too late to walk out on my own. Plus, we haven't finished all of our homework yet."_

_Oh. Haru knew that was his fault. He grabbed the paper off from the side and slammed it onto his lap. "I completely dozed off. I'm sorry. Let's work on it now."_

_"Right!"_

_And with that, the two shared answers. Though it was Ikuya who did most of the work since he was actually awake and functioning. Haru pointed out a few mistakes Ikuya had made in solving a few of the problems. While Haru was the good one at math, he found it boring and frequently caught himself doing anything else but the number problems at hand. That came to his disadvantage. But when he put himself into focus, he could knock them out one by one._

_Once they had finished the last problem together, Ikuya threw his hands into the air. "We did it! Finally! I actually understand it now, thanks to you."_

_Haru slipped his paper back into his folder and checked the time on his alarm clock. It was way later than he had expected. "It's 11PM!" he pointed out in surprise._

_"Eh?! Is it really?" Ikuya rose a brow. He brought himself to the window and looked out at the vast, deep sea of sparse stars which coated the sky. He stood there for a few moments._

_"Ikuya?" Haru asked. He joined his friend at the window. Ikuya's eyes were mesmerized, captured by the sweet spell the night sky had casted upon him._

_Ikuya faced Haru suddenly. "We need to go outside!"_

_"Eh? I don't think we're allowed to go through the front door at this hour..."_

_"No! Not the front door." Ikuya slipped his fingers on the edge of the window and pulled it up. The sound of crickets chirping and the nearby shore washing flew in. "We can climb out from here."_

_Ikuya must be crazy. Haru had never tried any sort of rebellious or life-risking act such as climbing onto a roof. Heck, he had never even stepped on a roof before. He had seen his father on the roof a couple of times back in the day but when he'd asked, his father would deny. Haru rose a brow, silently telling Ikuya how reckless it was of him to think of such a thing to do._

_But Ikuya ignored it. "C'mon!" he said as he pulled himself onto the ledge and then twisted his body to start the climb up._

_Haru wanted to stop him, he wanted to pull Ikuya back. If Ikuya were to fall, he could seriously injure himself, considering Haru's room was on the second floor. But instead, he watched with wide eyes and a gaped mouth as his friend stepped onto the top ledge of the window and pulled himself up._

_"You're... kidding me," Haru muttered. Having no choice but to follow Ikuya's lead, he stepped onto the ledge, feeling the fresh air hit his bare arms. As Ikuya had done, he turned himself around carefully and looked up. He reached his arm up to grab a piece of the wall which stuck out. He hoisted himself up and placed his leg onto the top ledge. From there, Ikuya extended his hand. Haru grabbed it. A force pulled him up as he dragged his body onto the rough roof material._

_Ikuya tiptoed up the slanted roof towards the peak of the roof. He sat on at the edge. Haru sat next to him. He looked back behind him. If he were to loose his balance a bit, he would tumble backwards to his death. The idea gave him anxiety._

_I_ _kuya nudged Haru's shoulder. He gestured to look upwards._

_Before the two, the sea of stars turned into an ocean. Waves of glitter scattered throughout the sky, creating different shapes. Possibly, even messages. Each star had their own distinct glow and rays. It was beautiful. Haru felt his breath stolen._

_"Did you know that it takes 4 years or more for a star's light to reach us?" Ikuya said. "We're looking into the past."_

_Haru's lips parted. "That's... amazing."_

_He felt Ikuya's finger's brush against his. Haru turned his head, his eyes met with his friend's coffee-brown ones which glowed in the night light. Ikuya pursed his lips. There was a moment of tension._

_Their fingers intertwined, spreading the warmth and comfort of their hands._

_And before Haru could act anymore, he felt Ikuya's lips press against his. They were soft, gentle. The distance between them had closed. Enamored, Haru kissed him back. His heart pounded, taking over his ears, blocking out the sound of nature surrounding them. It was at this moment, he felt enchanted._

 

* * *

 

"Haru?"

Makoto's voice once again, interrupted Haru from his thoughts. 

Haru shot him a clueless look.

"Are you okay?" his friend asked. "Lately, you've been zoning out."

"Oh," Haru replied. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"What's on your mind lately?" Makoto asked, concerned.

"Nothing."

Makoto didn't reply to that. If he had, then it would be seen as persistent and nosy after all. Haru felt a bit bad for acting in a neglecting way so he decided to answer. "It's Ikuya."

"Ikuya? I guess this whole thing has been a bit of a challenge hasn't it."

"Yeah. But... he's been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe too much," Haru admitted. And he hated that he had to. Feeling awkward now, he turned his gaze off to the side. But Makoto was his best friend and was perhaps the least judgmental person to exist. He wouldn't make snide comments. 

Makoto smiled to him. "We'll reunite with him soon. All of us. We're all in this together, so don't worry so much."

"I know." Haru noticed they had approached the street where their paths parted. They stopped.

Makoto looked down at Haru, he had a weak smile on. He looked like he wanted to say something. But he didn't. "See you tomorrow, Haru."

"Good-bye."

And with that, they turned opposite directions. Haru buried his hands into his jacket and watched his feet as they stepped one after another.

How long ago was that memory? It was before he had quit the swim team.

He itched to know if Ikuya remembered it. He wanted to know how Ikuya felt during that moment. Because Haru knew from that moment, it was affection.

And young love always had a special place in one's heart forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had an internal conflict but i just went for it ahah


	7. Disunity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning (subjective) : Mild sexual content after the second barrier.

A week had passed since the start of the year for university. Ikuya and Hiyori were currently studying in the library across from each other at a shared table. They had their papers spread out as they silently worked to complete their already-piling-up work.

Ikuya eyed the piece of literature before him. The use of old, exquisite words threw him off a bit. In fact, he figured that not being in Japan for a few years must've deteriorated his comprehension skills for the language. He tried to piece together oddly sounding words and combine them together to form some sort of literate sentence. A headache bonked at his brain, he winced.

"Ikuya?" Hiyori's hushed voice sounded.

Ikuya looked up to face his friend who was smiling gently at him.

"You've been staring at that page for the past ten minutes," Hiyori said. He lifted his glasses up a bit on his bridge. "Need any help?"

Embarrassed, Ikuya shot his eyes away. Had it really been 10 minutes? Then the headache was a clear signal from his brain to his consciousness telling him to stop. "Yeah," he muttered. "Sure."

Hiyori took the book and concentrated on it for a moment. His eyes then scanned the open agenda off to Ikuya's side. He let out a slight giggle. Ikuya rose a brow. "What?"

"You have the wrong book," Hiyori said between snickers. He pointed at the cover of the book in his hand and then at the title written at the agenda. 

Ikuya's rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. His face went slightly red as he awkwardly blew a loose bang from his face. He couldn't help but to feel even more silly, like he had made a fool of himself. But a part of him felt relieved for Hiyori having noticed this. He took the book back and stood up from his seat. "I'll... be right back." And with that, he left off in search for the shelf with the correct book.

Scanning the labels on the shelves, he slipped himself into an aisle. His fingers traced along the spines of the books as he whispered to himself repeatedly the correct book title. "Here," he let out as he pulled out the book. He double-checked it first before leaving to check it out. Exiting the shelf and making his way to the counter, he eyed Hiyori at the table. His friend was turning his position to look out of the window. He was squinting, despite having glasses, seeming to eye something particular.

Once the book was scanned and the other one was returned, Ikuya made his way back to their table. "What are you looking at?" he asked.

Hiyori whipped his head back with a "hm?" and took the book from Ikuya's hands. He flipped it over and checked the title. "Looks like you got the right one this time!"

Ikuya cocked his head slightly as he sat down to open it up and once again return to his work. But Hiyori slipped his items into his bag and stood up from the table. "We should get going," he said.

"What— why?" Ikuya asked. 

But of course, he didn't get a straight answer. "It's getting late isn't it?" Hiyori replied. "Besides, I'd like to head back to start on an actual dinner for us today."

"It's only six," Ikuya said. Though six was sort of late, with the sky starting to fade into an orange, they typically left at seven or stayed until way later due to swim practice.

"I'm getting tired anyways," said Hiyori with that sweet tone in his voice. "Pack your stuff and meet me at the west exit. I have to go turn in an assignment really quick! Okay?"

Ikuya hesitated for a moment. He wanted to ask Hiyori for the truth. For the real reason they had to leave so suddenly. It was as if something was chasing after them. But never-minding it, he decided to play along for it wouldn't stir up anymore trouble. He gave him a nod and started to pack up his items.

 

* * *

 

Haru stood next to the north exit, somewhat across from the library and in the direction of the university pool. He figured that if he waited here, locating Ikuya would have it's higher chances. So far, he had been waiting for about ten minutes and no sign of the familiar turquoise hair. He checked his phone briefly, reading a text message from Kisumi talking to the group chat about a friend of his who was seeing a movie called A Rat's Life. He didn't bother to reply since it didn't apply to him.

He could hear the sound of steps on the brick ground approaching. He looked up to see Hiyori coming his way. The brown-haired male's eyes were glued straight onto him. 

Haru, in return, took a step forward. "Good afternoon... Hiyori, right?"

"Correct. And you're Haru, I presume? May I ask what business you have here?" Hiyori said with a serious tone in his voice. He went straight for his target of interest.

"I'm waiting for Kirishima Ikuya," Haru replied. Though he felt that telling the truth, right after he said it, would put him at a disadvantage with this guy. 

Hiyori's brows curved inwards as he half-smiled. "Ikuya's not here right now."

"Oh," Haru let out. He held his ground. Hiyori emitted unwelcoming vibes that he didn't feel comfortable being in the presence with. "Do you know when he'll be free? I'm trying to get in touch with him."

"Ikuya is awfully busy. You should be considerate and know not to interfere with his life," Hiyori said. His arms were crossed.

"..." Haru didn't know how to respond to that. "Could you at least give me his number? I just want to—"

"Persistent aren't you?" Hiyori interrupted. He waved Haru off and turned around. "You wouldn't understand him like I do." And with that, he walked off.

Haru felt slight annoyance bubbling up in him. He wanted to stop Hiyori and fight with him, to ask why the hell he was trying to prevent him and Ikuya from meeting— if that was his true goal, because it sure did seem like so.

He picked up his phone and headed off of the campus, texting the group chat about his attempt today.

 

* * *

 

"Ikuya!" Hiyori called.

Ikuya turned to see Hiyori running up to him with a warm smile (as typical of him). "Hiyori," he greeted.

Hiyori joined him by his side and together, they started to head down the street. Ikuya itched to ask Hiyori what he had done, what was really going on. But he couldn't bring himself to. He wasn't the type to meddle in other people's business and if his own best friend wanted to keep a secret from him, then that was his choice. Ikuya stuffed his hands into his pockets and let out a light sigh.

Back at the apartment, Ikuya went straight to his room where he could be in peace to continue his work on his bed. Hiyori went to the kitchen where he started to cook up dinner. A couple of hours later, the two sat across from each other at the table where they ate dinner together.

"Oh," Ikuya said in surprise. "This is really good!" His head felt dead from reading a book for the past couple of hours and trying to take notes at the same time. A delicious home-cooked dinner was quite ideal for him right now.

Hiyori smiled. "Thank you," he said. A couple of moments later, he said out of the blue: "No one would understand you more than I do. Right?"

Figuring that Hiyori meant the food, Ikuya nodded as he took in another spoon. Though he considered that maybe his brother might know even though they haven't seen each other in couple of years since he was off in Australia.

"It seems we only need each other after all," Hiyori continued.

Ikuya put down his spoon and eyed Hiyori questioningly. "What are you trying to get at?" he asked. All of the 'cheese' all of a sudden was a bit strange. 

"Nothing, nothing," Hiyori brushed it off. "I'm just glad we're best friends."

Unsure of how to reply to that without making it more awkward, Ikuya just flashed a grin. Either approval or agreement, he didn't even know.

Once they had finished with dinner, Ikuya left to take a shower while Hiyori did the dishes and cleaned up. Once done, he called Hiyori, telling him the shower was free for him to use. He then sat down on his bed and opened his book once again.

He picked up his pen and started to write down important quotes that could be of use for studying in his notebook. He started to feel his own consciousness slip from him as the book fell from his hand, loosing his page. He rested his head down on the comfort of the sheets and closed his eyes. Not to sleep, but to just collect his thoughts. 

His mind traveled through the fictional world he had been so focused on studying. He thought of how the two main characters took different paths when they had grown up. They were destined to become rivals from the start, but they refused to let their bond slip. It was complicated. How fate and truth clashed together. A knock at his door shot him up into a more awake posture.

"Ikuya?" Hiyori called.

"Yeah," Ikuya replied. He watched as Hiyori opened the door and joined him, sitting at the side of the bed. "You should get some rest, or at least take a break. You need to be ready for swim practice tomorrow."

"I guess," Ikuya said. He closed up his notebook and tossed it off to the side of the bed along with the book.

"Ikuya," Hiyori said softly. "Do you agree that we only need each other?"

Ikuya turned his head to face his friend. "I guess," he shrugged. He wondered what the hell was poking at Hiyori, he was acting strange.

Hiyori leaned in a bit closer to the turquoise-haired male, shifting his position so that one leg rested on the bed. "You don't need anyone else but me, only I truly understand you. You know that right?" he said in a hushed tone. His eyes seemed dazed yet sincere.

"Hiyori—" Ikuya started to confront his friend but he was cut off with Hiyori's lips pressing against his, bringing them into a kiss. Upon seeing Hiyori's face so close to his own, he shut his eyes and attempted to pulled himself back. His whole body felt stiff all of a sudden.

Locking their lips, Hiyori pressed his weight down onto Ikuya's chest, pushing him against the bed. Ikuya lifted up a knee, keeping him from being completely dominated. His heart pounded in chest, echoing up to his ears. His face flushed with red, he felt hot. His air was being cut off.

Once Hiyori disconnected their lips, he traveled down Ikuya's neck. His hot breath brushed against the exposed skin. Ikuya swallowed in some air. He attempted to breathe out, "Hiyori.—"

But once again he was cut off, this time with Hiyori leaving a kiss on his collarbone. His breath hitched at the feeling, trying to hold back sound trying to escape his throat. His breathing became more heavy as he felt Hiyori's hand slipping between the fabric of his shirt and running along his bare skin.

_This can't be happening._

Just as Hiyori was about to come in for another kiss, Ikuya quickly placed a hand onto his friend's lips, blocking it. "Hiyori," he tried again, taking in hefty breaths. "I'm sorry, I can't."

Hiyori's eyes widened. He immediately pushed himself away to the opposite side of the bed. His lip trembled as he spoke with a voice Ikuya had never even heard before come from him. "I— Ikuya... I'm so sorry. I got the wrong idea, I don't know what came over me..!"

Ikuya sat back up, the bottom part of his shirt falling back down to cover his stomach, and turned his head off to the side, letting his bangs cover his eyes. A sweet feeling lingered in him, slowly fading away. He attempted to steady it by taking in calm breaths. "Let's... let's just get some sleep for tomorrow."

"Ikuya—" Hiyori held himself back from coming in closer. So instead, he let a tear fall. "I can't believe this... I'm so sorry," he cried.

Silently, Ikuya crawled himself under the covers and buried his head, blocking out the lights. He wasn't sure what to say. He had no idea what to even think. He couldn't believe it either. So instead, all he said was: "Goodnight, Hiyori."

Seconds after that, the lights were flicked off and the door was shut. Now alone in his room, Ikuya couldn't stop the tears running down the side of his face. Though he didn't know why he was crying. Perhaps it was the heartbreak of not reciprocating the same feelings to his friend. Perhaps it was the feeling of grief from letting down his friend. Either way, he didn't want to let it get to him. He just cried silently in the darkness, wondering if he'd be able to remove his thoughts from his head.

And outside the door, the muffled sound of choked tears.


	8. Sudden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write for some reason. Well, expect something a lil' fun happening below... Or so I perceive it as so. hehe.

Can't breathe.

Ikuya's throat tightened, collapsing in on itself. He refused to open his mouth and let the water flow in. But he longed for air so bad. He felt himself giving in.

Can't hear.

Two figures stood at the edge of the pool, looking down at him, their faces blank of expressions. He recognized the deep blue and fluffy brown hair of the figures. And perhaps he could make out... glasses. Their distorted mouths appeared to be moving but Ikuya couldn't tell what they were saying.

Can't talk.

His lips parted, choking out bubbles that traveled up to the glittering barrier which separated him from his friends. In his head, he screamed out for them.  _HELP ME._

Helpless.

A hand was brought up, as if reaching for the barrier which seemed to move farther and farther away. The wall grew larger and larger, locking him underneath. He sank further.

Hopeless.

The figures turned away, disappearing out of sight. They had left him behind to drown. Ikuya closed his eyes, letting his tears envelop in the water. And he sunk, drowning deeper and deeper, waiting to reach the abyss.

 

It was a nightmare that had woken Ikuya up that night. He sat up on the cushion of his bed and let out multiple pants, feeling his heart racing in his chest rapidly. Relieved it had been nothing else but his own imagination, he brought his fingers through his turquoise hair. He let out a sigh as his eyes traveled around the dark, empty room until it met up with the phone that sat beside his bed on the nightstand. He swiped it off the table and clicked the power button.

The home screen light blinded him as it burst into the darkness. He blinked a couple of times to adjust to it before reading the large numbers: 2:05 AM.

He had only gotten a couple hours of sleep before waking up so abruptly. Ikuya figured it would be best to try again and get a peaceful sleep. No more nightmares, or dreams in general (he hoped). Which brought on the question: What sort of dream did he have anyway?

Not wanting to think of it, Ikuya rolled himself under the covers and shut his eyes. He forced his mind to go blank and drift off into a slumber. But for what felt like an hour, he tossed and turned, trying get in a comfortable position to act as if he were dead. But either it was too hot or too cold, and his arms felt crushed under his own weight. And eventually, he gave up and slipped out of bed. 

Knowing that no one would be out at this time and Hiyori was likely asleep (hopefully), he didn't bother to change from his thin-clothed night clothes and quietly creaked his door open. Hiyori wasn't in the living room. Feeling at more ease, Ikuya stepped out of his bedroom and closed it behind him to give the impression that he was still in there if Hiyori at any point did wake up like he had.

He gently clutched the keys off of the table where Hiyori's messenger bag lay. Seeing the bag reminded him that Hiyori could possibly need some comfort after what had... happened. He felt a slight urge to check if, by any chance, Hiyori was awake. But didn't act on it. He had no idea what to say after all.

 _I forgive you? It's not a problem. It's partially my fault too for giving off the wrong signs. I'm sorry, also._  The words came to Ikuya's head. Suddenly, his face felt hot. He shook his head and pressed his wrist to his forehead.  _Hiyori likes me... more than a friend_ , he thought, biting his lip.  _How did I not see this before?_

Ikuya wasn't exactly the type to  _want_ to dwell on things (though he had a tendency to do so) so he pushed it out of his mind for the time-being and left the apartment (after putting on his shoes), making sure to lock the door behind him. From the building, he walked along the somewhat-empty but still lit up street of Tokyo and made his way to the bridge where he crossed over to a waterfront which was sparsely lit by the street lamps. He approached the rail which separated him and the river and took in a deep breath of the fresh air.

Immediately, he felt the weight of stress ease and his mind clear up. But the situation still lingered in the back of his head. A breeze brushed against his bare skin, easily blowing the light fabric of his clothes. He walked along the cobblestone path next to the water in no particular direction, wondering if there was anything worth in going out at such an hour or if he was simply just draining his time to rest.

A sudden screeching sound of a charter bus reeked through the silence of the night, slicing through the light splashing of the water. Ikuya watched as it slowly passed by him on the road a couple of meters off from the water across the mini field of turf. It then came to a stop and there was a silence. 

And for some reason, Ikuya felt eyes watching him. But it wasn't an ominous feeling— more of a cautious one. Perhaps it was because he was out in sleep clothes and alone out at night. He shuddered and walked off in the opposite direction from the bus.  _You're thinking too much_ , he told himself,  _get a grip. Surely, no one's gonna come out of the bus and attack you—_

Boy was he wrong.

"IKUYAAAA!!" A male's voice screeched, smacking right at him. A familiar voice, it was. One that didn't seem fully recognizable but still had a childish nostalgia to it.  _It couldn't be—_

Ikuya whirled around, his hair flying in wind. It was then he saw the unforgettable spiky red hair and competitive eyes. And with no hesitation did the name, which he hadn't heard in years, come to mind immediately. "Asahi?" he breathed.

And coming out of the bus to stand beside the now grown-up college student, was another male who Ikuya had once been familiar with but less so than with the rest of the swimming club in middle school, was undoubtably Kisumi Shigino with the messy bubblegum-pink hair and soft features. Both of them had changed significantly in the shape of their body. They were far more built than he had remembered... especially with height and shoulders. But they still had the same friendly vibes to them and the familiar look in their eyes brought upon a heartstring in Ikuya. Too nostalgic. Too real.

He took a step back and muttered under his breath, "no... no." This can't be happening right now. Not on the one day he couldn't sleep and chose to go for a walk past midnight. Now that would be so extremely unfortunate for him.

Though he didn't know why— why he felt repulsed at the chance of finally reuniting with his past friends. It was as if an invisible force, like fate, was trying to pull him away.

_Hiyori. It's Hiyori. He's my only friend._

Ikuya's heart seemed to freeze all time in it's place as the image of his best friend popped up in his mind. 

_That's right... We agreed._

The image of his friend moving in on him, kissing him. The pure cycle of emotion from when he had been dominated to the moment he withdrew himself away.

_That we only needed each other._

Fear ripped through Ikuya as his grabbed his own head, a headache knocking in. He didn't want to think back to a couple of hours ago. He wanted to forget it. He wanted to erase the feeling of guilt which aroused in him, clawing at his heart. 

He could hear the muffled call of his name— likely from Kisumi this time. Ikuya didn't bother to look up when he suddenly made a dash away from the two, running as fast as his legs could carry him as if he were running from a threat.

A threat, that couldn't be escaped because it was all in his head.

He ran and ran along the waterfront without any means to stop or any place to run to. Through his closed ears, he could only hear the distorted sound of his heavy breathing and the tapping of running shoes. 

_Please don't come after me, please don't come after me. I can't do this now. I can't do this—_

A hand latched onto the back of his shirt, causing him to trip and fly forwards. He let out a yelp as he felt his body going downwards until a stronger grip slammed onto his back. Two arms wrapped around his chest as he collided with the hard-rock ground. Pain seared across his arms as they scraped across the rough, uneven surface. The impact on his chest had been cushioned by the arms which protected him but they also pushed in an uncomfortable feeling. And luckily enough, he managed to keep his head away from injury by landing with his arms first.

Ikuya let out a pained moan as the person wrapped around him muttered, "goddamnit."

Realizing what had just happened, Ikuya tried to force himself from the grip but it only squeezed around his chest tighter. So instead, he turned back to see Kisumi standing off to the side with an exasperated look on his face. Looking down, his eyes came in contact with messy red hair right at his shoulder, the male's forehead pressed into his back. He then came to the conclusion that Kisumi had caught him but Asahi was the one who had attacked them to the ground. Though how they had caught up to him so fast was a question of it's own.

"Let go of me!" He growled at Asahi.

"Just as long as you don't run away!" Asahi said back in the cloth of Ikuya's shirt. Ikuya could feel the heat of the male's breath against his skin.

"Fine! Fine!" Ikuya said and immediately, he crawled out from underneath the heavy male and stood a decent distance away from the two.

Asahi brought himself up on his feet and brushed off his arms of dirt and rock which were smeared with fresh blood from scratches.

Kisumi let out a gasp. "Asahi! That's looks grievous! We should patch you up." He then looked at Ikuya. "Ikuya, I'm awfully sorry for your trouble but maybe we should all stop by a pharmacy real quick?"

Kisumi sounded like it was confirmed Ikuya would stay with them as if they were on buddy terms. And to Ikuya, they were not. Not anymore.

"It's nothing," Asahi shrugged. His gaze focused straight onto Ikuya, he smiled widely which threw Ikuya off. "Yo! Ikuya! It's been a while!"

Ikuya glared at the two. "What do you want?" he asked, feeling blood drip down across his arms and onto the ground. By the time the sun comes out, no doubt it would be visible to anyone who crossed it.  _And nice greeting by the way,_ he said silently in annoyance,  _real smooth. I appreciated it, in fact, do it again!_

Asahi nor Kisumi replied with a straight answer. Instead, Asahi threw a bloody arm around Ikuya's shoulders with more strength than Ikuya expected— not that he was expecting this sort of contact coming. Ikuya stiffened at the touch as sudden closeness of their bodies. It no longer felt comforting like it used to.

"We just wanna talk! And catch up, y'know?" Asahi replied. Kisumi joined in by walking alongside the two as Asahi was leading Ikuya in the direction towards the road. "Quite a coincidence to catch you out here through the window of a bus after a basketball match," he commented.

"Huh?" Ikuya was flabbergasted, "Asahi— you play basketball?"

"We'll explain it all tonight," Asahi winked. "Now c'mon, we need to get fixed up and get a nice cup of tea. Or coffee! Whichever you prefer. I remember when you were younger though you always went for tea."

Ikuya was speechless. He didn't know how to reply to all of this or how to react to it. He had already tried a sprint which utterly failed. He thought of Hiyori back at home alone, hoping that his friend was still asleep.

 _How did I get into this mess..._  he groaned in his head. He then figured it would be best to just go along with the flow and see what happens tonight than to work his way out of it since there didn't seem like any chance anyway. 

Though he couldn't help the slight grin that formed at the edge of his lips. Even with the blood staining his shirt from Asahi's arm, which no longer felt of a stranger's, he didn't feel repulsed by it. After all, he had witnessed Asahi injure himself a multitude of times after his ridiculous stunts. It reminded him of the old days.

"Alright," Ikuya gave in. "But I have to be back at 6."


End file.
